The 'Fading' Trilogy Book 1: Fading Lights
by Babetteisawesome
Summary: It's the anniversary of the day the spell as broken, and all the castle's inhabitants are in high spirits. However, the tension rises when someone from Babette's past comes to the castle, and her 'visit' unearths the maid's secrets that she's tried so hard to hide. When the entire castle and kingdom are in danger, Babette knows that she's the only one who can save it.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

She bolted awake that morning, desperately trying to rid her mind of the images her nightmare had contained. Babette felt her now heavily beating heart as her brown eyes darted around the small room, attempted to confirm that she was safe.

The maid breathed a shaky sigh of relief "She will not hurt them. It was just a dream" she told herself. Then, the all too familiar voice of Cogsworth bellow on the other side of her door "Young lady! It is half past nine! Get up for heaven's sake!"

Babette's entire body tensed at the loud noise, but, upon realizing it was only the Head of Household, relaxed. She rolled her eyes as she arose from bed "_How fitting..._" she mused "_That he was once a clock. For he certainly is the human version of one_." Suddenly, those few words, 'clock' and 'human', sparked something in her memory. The maid gasped in realisation, mentally scolding herself for forgetting. That day was the anniversary of the day the spell had been broken!It was something that the castle had decided deserved a celebration, and therefore, for the entire day the servants would be excused from their duties to do as they wished. Also, she remembered, there would be a grand ball that night.

The maid was brought from her thoughts when an impatient and infuriated Cogsworth yelled "Babette! Get up right this minute!"

The young woman rolled her eyes "Do not worry yourself mon ami! I am awake!" she called back.

Babette decended the staircase, her duster swishing on the railings, allowing the soft feathers to dance across the polished wood. She glanced at the object, remembering when she had been transformed. Her beautiful, womanly curves had vansihed along with her arms, turning her into the same feather duster she now carried.

The woman clenched her fists in memory of how she was almost like that forever. The enchantment...it had been so close to being permanent. _She_ had been so close to remaining a feather duster for the rest of her life "_Which is cerainly something I cannot afford to be_" she thought. With everything she had been through in her life, the lies she had to tell, the hiding that had to be done, and praying that her secret would enver be discovered, becoming a feather duster permanantly was something that she honestly didn't want added to her worries.

All of a sudden, the familiar voice of Lumiere came from behind her "Bonjur ma cheri" he greeted.

Babette was startled at first, but then smiled, turning to him "Bonjur mon cher" she replied. The young woman gazed adoringly into his grey-blue eyes, unable to say anything else. The night before the enchantment, Lumiere had confessed his love for her, but the spell had put a hold on their romantic life. Babette found her smile growing as she remebered what had occured that night when the Prince had supposedly 'died'.

_She hid behind one of the curtains, trembling and terrified. She had seen the frightening man (Gaston, as she had heard on of the villagers call him), go looking for the Prince. She knew that he would attempt to kill him, because that it what hunters did, they killed creatures. She still felt squimish about the sheer suggestion of killing another living thing. _

_Suddenly, a roar of pan shook through the castle, emanating from the nearby balcony. She swished across the floor as quickly as possible, knowing that the Prince was in danger. _

_She was so focused on her destination, that she didn't notice someone coming the opposite way until it was too late. She only realised, when she felt feathers and wood against her. Recognising the familiar feeling, she looked up into the eyes Maria, one of the other maids, and her initial smile upon seeing her, vansihed when she saw her morse expression. Instantly concerned, she asked "What is the matter?" _

_Maria, who would have cried if she could, replied "The Master...he is..." _

_But, she didn't get a chance to finsih, before Babette saw something out of the corner of her eye. Prince Adam...alive and, most of all, human! Disbelif and happiness flooded the two woman, especially when they saw that all of the servants were beginning to turn back. _

_She smiled as she saw the Prince embrace Lumiere, Cogsworth and Mrs. Potts, who had all been turned back. As she appraoched them, Babette felt something strange, yet familiar. Magic swirled around her, blocking her view of anything else. She felt her wooden body transform into that of a human, and when her vision cleared, she saw the most delightful sight...she was human again! _

_Upon seeing Lumiere, she smilied slyly and walked past him, tickling his nose with her duster. Their eyes met as she looked back at him coyly, before walking away again. _

Babette was brought from the memories by Lumiere's voice "Ma cheri, what are you thinking about?"

The young woman answered "Nothing mon cher...just..."

"The enchantment" guessed the Frenchman.

"Oui" replied Babette. She kissed him softly on the cheek, before pulling away, a teasing smile on her lips. Before Lumiere could pull her back into his embrace, the maid slipped out of his reach, continuing down the stairs.

Babette was in the library late that afternoon, when she suddenly felt a familiar feeling. It was something she had only felt once before...and gasped in recognision. The young woman had little time to react, before her gaze switched completely.

What the maid saw was no longer the library, but a beautiful castle. It was made of polsihed wood, had magnificent golden-framed paintings linning the walls, and red silk curtains on either side of the large arched windows. Babette knew what this place was...her mother's home. Babette knew that she was 'sighting' something. She only ever 'sighted' anything when it was extreamly important, which caused her to have more questions then answers.

Suddenly, the feeling she had experienced before she had began 'seeing' the familiar room, returned. Instictively, Babette brought her gaze to the direction of the feeling. The young woman saw a collection of gold and purple light near her, and, after notcing its warmth, recognised it as an aura. The maid asked politely "What do you want?"

The aura moved, and then disappeared. Only then was Babette able to see that the aura had been disguising its owner...the Enchantress. Babette was terrifed, and had to stop herself from sinking to her knees. She trembled, but then the enchantress spoke, her voice meoldic and ringing like the beautiful chimes of bells "This is a warning, Babette. _She_ will return, and you must be ready."

Suddenly, Babette heard Cogsworth's voice, but it was faint, like someone calling her from the other side of a wall "Babette..." she felt herself being shook "Babette, I need to speak with you."

Babette gasped as the castle room and the enchantress disappeared in an instant. She felt her head atuomatically, feeling slightly dizzy from her encounter. She knew what happened "_I have been pulled out of my sighting_" she thought. Whenever someone from where she actually was, spoke to her while she in a sightning, she was pulled back to wherever she actually was.

Pushing her own thoughts aside, the maid turned to Cogsworth "What?" she inquired someone impaciently.

Cogsworth answered "Well, I came in here and I saw you just sitting there staring. I could have sworn I saw your eyes glow golden. Thank heavens they're still brown now, otherwise I would have thought I was going insane" he said. Babette stiffened for a moment. He had seen her when she was 'sightning', but he suspected nothing. Thank the Lord.

The young woman pretended to listen as Cogsworth continued speaking. But, she had too many thoughts running through her head. The enchantress's warning was fresh in her mind, and she had been right.

Babette had to be careful if _she _was planning to arrive.

Very, very careful.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Lumiere roamed the halls that evening, searching for his beloved Babette. She had been somewhat tense and distant ever since he had found her in the library earlier that same day, which made him concerned. The Frenchman muttered after another failed attempt at finding her location "I hope she is alright. She has not been quite like herself today."

All of a sudden, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. The door to the dining room was closed, but a light was on inside. Curious, the maître'd walked over, and his hand touched the doorknob.

Babette, meanwhile, sat inside the room, deep in thought. A lit candelabrum nearby was her only source of light, yet she could see everything perfectly. She scoffed "Even a Young One can see perfectly in the dark. It is not much trouble" she muttered. A 'Young One' was the name for someone of her kind when they were at their early development stage, who were also the most inexperienced.

The young woman had not attempted to contact the Enchantress because of two reasons: one, she felt she didn't need to, and two, she couldn't even if she wanted to. The 'sighting' only worked one way with more powerful creatures like the Enchantress "_Which_ i_s very inconvenient in many ways_" thought Babette.

The maid glanced at the brass clock that ticked on a high ledge, noticing the time. She gasped "_There are only a few more hours until the Grand Celebration. I have to get ready_" she told herself. It was a private affair held on the anniversary of the spell break, which was attended only by the castle's inhabitants. Babette smiled to herself when she remembered the dress she intended to wear. Her mind then drifted to further details of the night, which made her smile lessen "Tonight will be a full moon, which is when _They_ are at their most powerful" she muttered to herself. Fear filled her, shooting down her spine and running her earlier good mood. If _she _did plan on coming to the castle, then that night would probably be worst time for her to do so.

All of a sudden, the voice of the maid's suitor came from behind her "Ma cheri, what are you doing in here?" he inquired, entering the room.

The young woman stood, smiling at him. Her fears disappeared as she kissed him softly on his lips in greeting, allowing herself to melt into his embrace, before pulling away only centimetres and breaking the kiss. Babette chose this moment to glimpse his aura, knowing he would simply think she was just looking at him. Guilt entered her when she saw that his usual golden aura with dark red swirls also continued swirls of green, which meant concern. He was concerned for her, and she couldn't tell him what was wrong. The young woman wanted so badly to tell him about the part of her life she had kept secret from him, but knew she couldn't. She blinked a few times, effectively disenabling her ability to see his aura "_I do not want to see what I have done to him. How much I am making him worry_" she thought. The maid smiled at Lumiere as he led her out of the dining room, and knew that the only thing she had to worry about was the Grand Celebration.

That same night, Babette entered the ballroom, Lumiere by her side. She was dressed in the most formal gown she owned, and her companion wore a dark suit that made him look even more handsome in her eyes.

But, neither of them compared to the attire of the Prince and Princess. Adam, the former Beast, entered with the newly crowned Princess Belle and her father, Maurice. The royals (Maurice included) were dressed in beautifully made clothing that looked quite expensive.

Lumiere grinned kindly at Belle, and then Maurice, who both smiled back. He turned to Adam, and bowed low as he once was forced to do to the Prince. He laughed kindly in response, causing Lumiere to smile.

The Frenchman then turned his attention back to Babette, and brought her hand to his lips. He murmured in adoration against the soft skin "Mon amour, je'tadore, je'taime ma cheri." He placed a fervent kiss on her hand, before lowering it an interlocking their fingers.

Babette kissed him passionately but quickly so no one would see "Tu est la lumiere de ma vie" she replied.

All of a sudden, a knock came at the door, causing everyone to turn their attention to it. Babette walked forward and opened the door, stepping aside to allow the stranger in. The stranger was covered by a long black cloak, which gave an immediate sense of curiosity to everyone watching.

Babette, however, was the only one who knew the stranger's identity. Before the figure had done even the slightest thing to hint at who it was….Babette knew. She could tell by its aura and scent.

The young woman stiffened in fear in realisation.

It was _her_.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

Babette let out an animalistic low growl of warning to the stranger "_Do not try anything Jacqueline_" she thought. The maid's kind could read minds selectively and send mental messages, enabling her and Jacqueline, or any other of her kind, to have private conversations without suspicion.

A sly female voice echoed a reply in her head "_Oh Babette, I wouldn't think of it_." The woman, Jacqueline, drew back the hood of her cloak. She was a year older then Babette, and had many physical similarities to her, except she had long red hair, dark blue eyes, as well as paler skin. Her dark blue dress was a peasant's gown, and was torn slightly at the hem.

Prince Adam spoke, breaking the silence "Is something wrong miss?" he asked.

She replied, faking fatigue and worry in her dainty voice "Oui monsieur. I got lost in the woods when I went to find my animals. They ran away, and I think I lost them."

Belle answered "Well, you would be welcome to stay here if you would like."

Babette stiffened "_No, no, no. She cannot stay here, not here_" she thought, panicking.

Jacqueline must have been reading her mind, because she flashed her a sly, wicked smile. Suddenly, she noticed Lumiere out of the corner of her eye, and looked at him, then back at the maid, and finally back to him. Deciding to ignore the troublesome and annoying woman, Jacqueline walked over to the handsome human.

Lumiere raised an eyebrow at the admittedly beautiful woman approaching him, somewhat nervous. She touched his arm "Bonjur monsieur" she purred.

The Frenchman's gaze switched to her "Bonjur mademoiselle" he greeted politely, unaffected by her romantic advances. He turned his eyes back to his beloved Babette, smiling lovingly. However, this smile was replaced by a look of confusion and worry upon seeing her fearful expression "_Why is she so concerned_?" he wondered. The young woman was usually so kind and welcoming to any strangers, and yet she seemed angry and terrified at the current visitor.

Jacqueline whispered close to his ear suddenly "Do not worry about Babette. She is simply being jealous."

The maid let out an animal-like snarl. That woman was just getting too close to him…far too close. Babette let her guard down for the first time in years, allowing people to see her two sharp fangs. The irises of her eyes glowed and, without taking her gaze from Jacqueline, said to Mrs. Potts "Madam, take Chip away for a moment s'il vous pliat."

After Chip had left the room with his mother, the maid demanded angrily "GET AWAY FROM HIM JAQUELINE!"

She whirled around, the picture of calmness. The woman replied, a small smile on her lips "Well, I see_ someone_ hasn't learnt to control her temper."

Before anyone could stop her (not that anyone would have been able to), Babette darted across the room at a superhuman speed towards her.

However, before the maid could even touch her, Jacqueline moved past her at the same speed. Using her unnaturally agility to leap from the ground to a high window, she easily escaped Babette. Jacqueline smacked her fist against the window, causing most of it to break. She turned to the younger woman, who was still on the ground and glaring up at her. She smiled slyly, winked, and jumped out the window.

Babette calmed herself. She was gone, and Lumiere was safe. She allowed her fangs to hide in her mouth once again, and her eyes returned to normal.

The maid turned, and saw a ballroom filled with shocked faces. She sighed "_This_…" she thought "_Is going to take some explaining. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

Lumiere was the first to approach her "Ma cheri, do you care to explain?" he inquired politely. In truth, he was actually completely and utterly shocked, like everyone else.

The Frenchman led her to the front of the ballroom, while she was lost in her thoughts. Babette watched as two or three people avoided her completely out of fear, while others simply stared wide-eyed.

The maid stood at the front of the ballroom, Lumiere leaving her side only to stand in the front row of gathered people. Babette took a deep breath. This was it. This was when she told her secret "Mes ami, it is clear to you now that…I am not exactly what you once thought. I…am a type of supernatural creature called a _Maya_. We are a mixture of a sol-vampire and a type of sorceress."

This earned several gasps of fear and surprise from the crowd. They had heard stories of vampires, and knew how terrifying they were. Some of the staff held forward crucifixes that were around their necks automatically.

Babette said reassuringly "Do not worry mes ami, you have no need to fear me. A sol-vampire is not the demon of hell that some vampires are. Sol-vampires take their energy from the sun and the only blood we drink is that of plants. The _Maya _are a peaceful race and our only intension with humans is to live amongst them as equals."

Cogsworth interjected "Is that why your eyes glowed earlier today?"

"Oui. The _Maya_ also possess a power called 'sighting'. This power enables us to 'see' a particular place or person without actually being there, and the person can speak to us and we can speak back like a real conversation" explained the maid.

She looked around, and saw that some of the people were still clearly afraid of her. Babette quickly realised why "You have no reason to fear me because I am half sorceress either. The _Maya _are nowhere near as powerful as creatures like the Enchantress. Even if I wanted to, I could not bring us under the spell again" she said reassuringly.

From the front row, Adam asked "What about that woman, Jacqueline, what is she?"

The young woman replied, her voice lowered In anger "She is a creature called a Zemya, which is sorceress half Ginger vampire. That is a vampire that is evil, and the sunlight does harm them, but merely be weakening them. A Zemya is also a Maya who has killed on purpose. However, this does not count if a Maya kills a Zemya."

Belle asked in clarification "Only if a Maya kills another Maya?"

Babette nodded "Oui, or any other supernatural creature" she replied.

Lumiere inquired "Ma cheri, how do you know her?"

The maid answered "Because…she is my sister."

This earned more gasps from the crowd. Suddenly, someone, a woman, spoke up from the back "Why did she come here tonight?"

Babette replied, her gaze never shifting from the woman "Because she is out to kill me."


	5. Chapter 5

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Beauty and the Beast or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OC Jacqueline and this plot. _**

**_P.S: Thank you so much to MissMysteryAuthor and Nimara for my first reviews EVER! You are amazing!_**

**_Now, on with the story_**

…

_Chapter 5_

Silence fell over the crowd, however all showed signs of concern. Babette, with her advanced hearing, detected some of the people whispering comments to each other such as 'the poor girl, having someone like that after her'.

All of a sudden, the reply of 'well, she's one of them, so she should be able to handle it', made her turn to the speaker.

The woman uttered a low growl, which was directed at the person who had made the latter remark. She stared directly into his eyes, her own fiery with an abrupt rage that was alarming to even herself. Speaking in a terrifying, threatening voice, she warned "I would advise you, monsieur, not to say such things again."

Fortunately for the man at the receiving end of her sudden fury, the sound of Adam's voice caught all of her attention. He said softly in an attempt to calm her down "Babette, I'm sure he didn't mean it."

The maid nodded, closed her eyes and breathed deeply in and out, before opening her eyes again. She turned to the man who had spoken earlier, but her manner was far more relaxed "Forgive me for my outburst monsieur. It is simply considered offensive to a _Maya_ to be considered as one of the Zemya" she stated, her tone apologetic. She saw, upon looking at the man's face, that he forgave her, but his smile was now somewhat uneasy. The woman turned back to the crowd "Mes ami, I know that you have had to go through a lot tonight. I will end my…confession, there, because I know how confused you all must be and I know you will have many questions. Oh, and one more thing. S'il vous pliat, I beg of you, treat me no different then you usually would, I wish to be nothing more and nothing less to you then how you have been treating me all these years" she explained.

With that, the crowd dispersed, and some even returned to their earlier business as if nothing had happened.

Babette attempted to slip away undetected. She wished to speak to no one, but to simply go somewhere quiet so she could reflect. However, her plans were put to a stop almost as soon as she left the front of the room "Babette!" came Lumiere's voice.

The maid turned to him, and he was soon beside her. However, the expression the miatre'd had was not the usual one of adoration that he always seemed to carry when around her. Instead, this was a look of coldness and mistrust, and even his voice betrayed those feelings "How could you!?" he asked.

Surprised at his tone, she looked up at him "Pardon?" she inquired.

He replied, unfazed "How could you not tell me _any _of this!? More than that, how could you not even tell me that you had a sister!?" he demanded.

She began, suddenly at the loss for words "Lumiere, I…"

"Oh save it" he interrupted dryly, holding up a hand.

Babette was confused and fearful. This wasn't like him at all, it was not the man she knew and loved. Her confident voice of the woman she was vanished, replaced by the meek tone of a small girl trying to apologise for a mistake "Lumiere, I am sorry I could not tell you, I wanted to tell you, but…"

He shook his head, refusing to hear anything she said "No Babette" he said. Lumiere looked her in the eyes, his own clouded with anger and pain "You_ lied_ to me Babette, about everything. I thought…." he sighed "I thought that you loved me…"

The maid interjected, her voice pleading "I _do_ love you mon cheri, I really do."

The maitre'd continued as if she had not even spoken "We are suppose to be completely truthful with each other, and, just, I cannot believe that you kept something like _this_ from me."

"Lumiere, s'il vous pliate, listen to me" Babette replied, tears forming in her eyes.

"No, I am done listening. Now it is time for _you_ to listen" said Lumiere. The Frenchman made an effort to rise to his full height so that he loomed above her, and then spoke. His own voice wasn't as menacing as Babette's had been when she had been angry, but it still scared her "I thought I could trust you. But, now I realise that very little you have ever said to me has been the truth."

Babette was about to speak again, but his next words silenced her. The Frenchman growled, staring straight into her eyes "Human, Maya, whatever you are…I want nothing to do with you ever again." With that, he left the room without looking back.

If he did, he would have seen tears flow from the maid's eyes "What have I done? Oh mon Duie, what have I done?" she muttered.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6_

The next morning, Chip, after having heard about Babette's 'confession' in the ballroom, ran in search to find her. He knew that confessing to something was hard, especially in front of a large group of people, so, naturally, he wanted to comfort her.

On his search, the young boy found not Babette, but Lumiere. When he glanced at the maitre'd and noted his pained and angered expression, he asked "What's wrong Lumiere?"

The Frenchman looked down at him, and the smallest of smiles tugged at the corner of his mouth "Nothing mon ami" he answered.

Chip, even at his young age, could easily tell that he was lying. Still, he wanted to find Babette. So, he simply nodded, and returned to his search.

Chip walked through the candle-lit halls until she found the library and saw the light poured through the space that the one ajar door created. Thinking Babette might be in there, the boy approached the doors and pushed them open.

The maid was indeed in there, and at first Chip smiled at the victory. But, his smile disappeared when he saw her crying softly, her body draped across the lounge in a heap. Babette turned upon hearing the door creak open, and blinked a few times, her eyes and face reddened from crying so hard.

Chip asked "Babette, are you alright?"

She shook her head "N-no. Lumiere and I h-had a f-fight" she sobbed.

Chip said, not knowing what had went on but wanting to make her feel better "He didn't mean it."

Babette laughed bitterly at his response "_I have been telling myself that ever since he walked out of the ballroom yesterday night_" she thought. She didn't even notice when Chip walked out and that she was alone. Honestly, she didn't care if she was alone or not. She didn't care what anyone else thought of her, didn't care about anyone or anything else but Lumiere.

The woman wailed into her hands to soften her sounds in an attempt to not disturb anyone else. More tears poured from her eyes, wetting her skin. She closed her eyes tighter as if to push out the earlier event so that it had never happened.

Babette felt heartbroken, as if she couldn't move and was no use to anyone anymore. In fact, it even crossed her mind to stay locked up in the library forever, or asking the Enchantress to transform her as she had the Prince. Suddenly, the time of the enchantment didn't seem quite as bad anymore. At least then Lumiere still loved her, still held her in the highest regard.

The maid shook her head, dismissing such thoughts "_No, I am being stupid. Life as a feather duster would be the second worse thing than this_" she thought. She didn't even want to think about what the worst thing would be.

Meanwhile, in the nearby village, the local tavern was buzzing with activity. The bartender looked up from his work, to find three young women fawning over a handsome man. He shook his head "_It seems like those three will go after any man, not just Gaston_" he thought.

The bartender snapped out of his thoughts when he noticed a beautiful woman sitting at one of the near tables, glancing at him. She looked at him over the rim of her mug as she took a sip, giving him such a seductive look that he almost melted.

The mystery woman stood, slinking over and seating herself at the bar in front of him. She smiled flirtatiously "Bonjur monsieur" she greeted. She stood from her place enough to lean closer and place her hand on his cheek "Look, I need a little help finding someone. Will you help me?" she asked sweetly. In truth, she felt disgusted and humiliated at having to ask someone to help her. But, he had been in the village for a while as rumours had told her "_If the rumours are true, he may be of use to me_" she thought.

The bartender inquired, entranced by her beauty "What do you need?"

"Information" replied the woman matter-of-factly.

"On who?" asked the man.

The woman replied "Her name is Babette."

Curious, the bartender then inquired "Who are you?"

She replied with a small smile "My name is Jacqueline."


	7. Chapter 7

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Beauty and the Beast or any of its characters. I do, however, own my OC Jacqueline and this plot. _**

**_P.S: I know very little about Ginger vampires, but I know a lot about sol-vampires. Unfortunately, the Maya are not a real myth…but sol-vampires and sorceresses are. You can find info on _****_sol-vampires_****_ at this website: _**

**_Also, this chapter contains my own version of how Lumiere and Babette might have met. Although, I am a HUGE fan of The Lumiere&Babette Trilogy…go LumiBabsFan, you rock! _**

…

_Chapter 7_

Lumiere wandered through the castle, hands buried deep in the pockets of his coat and his mind lost in thought. Babette had lied to him about practically everything he knew about her, and he still didn't know if he could trust her.

He was still grasping the concept that, above all, she wasn't human. Yes, she was no threat to anyone, but she wasn't human. This is what bothered him the most "_How could I not have noticed something before?_" he wondered.

The Frenchman thought back over when they had first met, trying to think of anything out of the ordinary.

_He walked into the kitchens, and stopped in his tracks at the sight before him. A beautiful young woman dressed in the maids' uniform was polishing some of the ornaments on a low ledge. He had not seen her before, and instantly wondered who she was. _

_He walked up behind her "Pardon moi mademoiselle, but I do not believe I have had the pleasure of meeting you" he said. _

_She turned to face him, and his grey-blue eyes met chocolate brown ones. The beautiful young woman spoke, breaking his trance "Je'mappelle Babette, monsieur, I am the new maid. Et vous?" she inquired. _

_"__Je'mappelle Lumiere" he replied, bowing gallantly. _

_She smiled slightly "Bonjur monsieur" she said._

_He answered, smiling also "Enchante mademoiselle." _

Ever since then, the two had become the closest of friends, and then, on Christmas Eve, he had confessed his love for her. But now, the maitre'd was truly rethinking his actions. How could he love someone who didn't trust him enough to tell him the truth?

Babette was doing her duties, trying to distract her mind from recent events. But, her efforts proved hopeless, as she soon found herself beginning to tear up again "_How has everything gone so wrong_?" she wondered.

Suddenly, a familiar female voice came from behind her "Babette, is everything alright?" she asked.

The young woman turned to find Angelique, the castle decorator, standing behind her, worry in her eyes. She said, stepping closer "I…I am really sorry about…"

Babette replied, stopping her "It is nothing mon ami."

"Clearly it is something, otherwise you would not be crying" answered Angelique.

The maid scoffed "At the moment, mon ami, I am starting to believe that Lumiere really does not love me" she said.

The castle decorator shook her head "No, you are wrong mon ami. He loves you, and has done ever since he first layed eyes on you" she replied.

"That, I highly doubt" answered Babette dryly.

Meanwhile, Jacqueline hid herself at the shady side of the tavern, out of view of anyone. The information she had been given the day before was nothing too helpful, and anyone she had asked seemed to know very little about her sister. The only thing that anyone seemed to know about Babette, was that she worked as a maid at Prince Adam and Princess Belle's castle, and that she was in a relationship with the maitre'd, Lumiere.

At first, the woman had considered using that as power over her, but then decided against it. It would be far too predictable, and besides, it would only do her emotional harm…she needed her to be in emotional_ and_ physical pain.

Jacqueline muttered in thought "When I touched Lumiere on my little visit, there seemed to be a dull magic around him. It was almost like it was the after-effect of an enchantment." Then, an idea came to her, and she smiled wickedly "Oui…an enchantment. A _Maya _might not be as powerful as an enchantress, but a Zemya is" she said. Jacqueline had decided what she would do. Whatever enchantment the castle had been subjected to, she would personally put them back under it.


	8. Chapter 8

**A special thank you to Lucy and Nimara for reviewing this story!**

….

_Chapter 8_

Babette sat in her room, breathing deeply with her eyes closed. To anyone else, it would seem to be a kind of meditation, but to anyone who knew about the _Maya_ in detail would know what she was really doing. She was attempting to have a 'sighting' with the Enchantress at her will, which was something she had never been able to do before. However, in such desperate and uncertain times, with her sister planning something and Lumiere still ignoring her, the maid felt that she had to try _something._

Finally, Babette felt a connection in her mind that she often felt while having a 'sighting'. It felt similar to a headache, but completely painless. She pushed her mental boundaries further to attempt to reach the Enchantress's aura. Suddenly, her aura appeared, the colours swirling around in front of her. Even with her eyes closed, the young woman could see it as clearly as if her eyes were open.

Warmth flooded through her, and she knew she had succeeded. Opening her eyes, Babette smiled in victory when she saw that what she was seeing wasn't her room, but in fact the room that Enchantress had appeared in when they had 'spoken' last.

The Enchantress appeared in the room seconds later, and smiled "Babette, I am proud of you" she said.

The woman replied, in mental exhaustion "Madame Enchantress, I have a new respect for you. That was very difficult."

The Enchantress said to her "Babette, I am afraid that I have to tell you something that you will not find appealing. You…"

But she didn't get the opportunity to finish before Babette was brought from her 'sighting' rapidly. She gasped at the sudden mental strain, holding her head. The maid was instantly confused by the fact she had been interrupted. She had heard no one speak to her, so why had she been brought from her 'sighting'?

Her answer came in the form of a shocking realisation that caused her to scream. Her womanly figure had become plain wood, and her skirt and lower section of her body had become a plumage of feathers. Her maids' cap was now somewhat attached to her head, acting as a holder for…a feather duster. Babette also noticed that she appeared to be _a lot_ smaller, and, worst of all, her arms were gone!

The young woman quickly realised what had happened, although she wasn't even sure how it was possible. She had been transformed back into her feather-duster form that she had once been doomed to in the enchantment.

This received more questions than answers, however. The Enchantress had been the one to place the castle under the spell in the first place…had she done it again? If so, then why?

Suddenly, Lumiere came in, obviously in response to her scream. Babette nearly had the same reaction again when she saw him. His tall, slim body had become golden brass, his hands two candles, and the longer candle at the top acted as his head. His legs had disappeared, replaced by a brass base.

Babette stuttered in shock "L-Lumiere, w-what…?"

He responded, his expression miserable "We have been put under the enchantment once again. Everyone has been returned to the forms they took under the spell, even the Prince."

"What about Belle?" inquired Babette.

"She is still here, in her human form, and she is still in love with the Prince" answered the Frenchman. His gaze softened upon seeing her worried face. He hated to see her upset, no matter how made he was at her. Looking at her, it reminded him of when the spell had first been cast. When she had been so terrified, and he had comforted her.

Despite his earlier anger at her, the maitre'd smiled "It is alright ma cheri. I do not know why this has happened again, but I give you my word that the spell will be broken…again" he said.

Babette nodded "Merci, Lumiere" she replied. Then, an idea came to her "I was going to try contacting the Enchantress again and asking her why this has happened…would you like to stay and watch me?" she offered. The maid knew that she had been wrong to lie to him for years, so the least she could do was start to include him in the life she had been hiding.

Lumiere nodded, although he was slightly taken aback by her request "Oui, merci" he responded, hopping beside her.

Babette gave him a weak smile, and repeated her earlier process. She smiled upon receiving the same results, and the Enchantress appeared before her. The maid's smile vanished, replaced by anger "Why have you done this!?" she demanded.

"Babette…" explained the Enchantress in a soothing tone "I had no part in this."

"Who did then?" she asked.

"Jacqueline" answered the Enchantress.

With that, there was a bright flash of light, and Babette was brought from her 'sighting'. She sighed "_I cannot believe that the Enchantress just pushed me from our sighting_" she thought.

Lumiere inquired "Well? What happened?"

"The spell returning was not the Enchantress's fault. It was the fault of my sister, but I feel that this is only part of her plan" answered Babette, fury in her eyes. She didn't know what Jacqueline was planning, but she did have a feeling that it was going to be _very _bad.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you Nimara and MissMysteryAuthor ****_again_**** for the reviews! **

…

_Chapter 9 _

Babette wandered the castle, guilt filling her. She knew that it was her fault that the castle was under the spell again, and knew of no way to break it. The Enchantress, who had put them under the spell the first time, was able to break it, but so far, the young woman hadn't been able to contact her.

The maid shook her head "No, it is not my fault. Jacqueline did this, it was completely out of my control" she muttered. Babette sighed, still feeling upset "_If only I could contact the Enchantress, then she could break the spell_" she thought. The woman assumed that, since Belle was still in the castle and loved the Prince, the spell had no real need for being cast again. The only reason that it had been recast was Jacqueline's own plan. What that plan was, she still didn't know.

The maid continued to swish her way down the hall, until she got outside into the sunlight. She sighed with a small smile at the feel of the sun and the energy it brought her. The Maya grew weaker the longer they didn't have sunlight, and since she was never allowed outside of the castle when first under the spell, she grew weaker every year. The loss of energy was even worse if there was no plant blood available.

Babette, luckily, had been able to feed herself the required amount of plant blood even when in her feather-duster form, but the only problem had been the lack of sunlight. However, now that she was allowed out of the castle, her own wellbeing was something she didn't have to worry about. The only thing she had to worry about, was her relationship with Lumiere "_Well, it has seemed that he has calmed down a lot more now_" she thought. She hoped that he had calmed down even more, because every fibre of her being begged for his forgiveness.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw him. He sat on the edge of the fountain, and traced the swirling patterns of the ledge with one of his 'hands' to appear casual. Although she could tell that he was watching the maid out of concern for her.

Lumiere occasionally glanced at Babette, wondering how she was feeling. If only he could see auras like she could, then he would know. The Frenchman sighed "_I am ready to admit it. I was being a fool before, to still hold a grudge for so long. I have to make it right between us, it is killing me_" he thought. He wasn't saying that he loved her, but he at least wanted her friendship again.

Babette swished up to him, jumping up on the ledge beside him "Bonjur Lumiere" she greeted quietly.

"Bonjur Babette" he replied in the same manner. He shook his head "_This is ridiculous. I have to tell her now_" he thought, turning to her. He smiled genuinely at her for what was probably the first time since their argument, and said "Babette, I…am sorry for overreacting with the information you gave me, and, if we cannot be how we once were, I at least would like your friendship once again."

She smiled, tears of happiness close to forming in her eyes "Oh Lumiere! Of course I will be your friend again!" she squealed. In truth, she wanted them to be just as they had been before all of the madness had started, but if friends was all they could be, then it was enough.

All of a sudden, she felt a familiar pain in her head. Before she could even react, Babette was no longer looking at him, but at a certain room.

She sighed "Sure, _now_ she decides to speak to me" she muttered.

As before, the Enchantress appeared in front of her. She smiled sympathetically "Do not worry Babette, this can be fixed" she said.

"Of course it can, you were the one who originally broke the spell! Why have you not been able to do that?" she asked curiously.

"Because Jacqueline blocked my powers with her own. But she has lowered them now, so I am able to break this curse again" replied the Enchantress.

Babette was forced out of her 'sighting' then, which resulted in a headache and a feeling of misbalance. She groaned "Lumiere, I am sorry you had to see that" she said.

"It was actually quite interesting" he replied. But, one thing that Babette noticed, was that the direction his voice came from was higher than before. She opened her eyes, and gasped in delight…he was human again! She smiled, and then checked herself, her smile growing when she received the same results. Babette stood, and stumbled slightly, which caused her to blush in embarrassment "_Mon Deiu, the only other time I was this out of balance was when I became human again the first time_" she thought.

Later that day, Cogsworth, who was human again also, ran through the castle in search of the Babette. Not finding her, he turned to Mrs. Potts and said, panicking "She's gone! Dear Lord, she's gone!"

Meanwhile, in a hidden castle deeper in the woods, Jacqueline knew exactly who was missing, for she had taken her as prisoner. The sound of her silver heels clicking across the stone floor was the only sound in the room. It was dark, with small slits as windows, but the Zemya could see everything as clear as day. The room now doubled as a dungeon for her latest prisoner, and one she was personally very proud of.

The woman smiled wickedly as she stood before her prisoner. She gripped her chin with such force that it drew a small amount of blood, and the woman removed her fingers before licking them slightly. She laughed bitterly "Personally, I find human blood more appealing. But, I suppose someone with blood similar to my own is almost equally as enjoyable" she said.

Without warning, the Zemya roughly tilted her prisoner's chin up, looking into her eyes. She gave her an expression of mock concern "Are you alright? Or is there too little light in here Sun-Lover?" she sneered. When she did not get a reply, Jacqueline continued "Well, the _Maya_ always were weak without sunlight _or_ plant blood. Although, I do hope that you will not be too weak, otherwise your stay will not be any fun."

She smiled wickedly and continued "I really am looking forward to your stay here. It has been far too long since we have spoken Babette."


	10. Chapter 10

**Thankyou Nimara and Lucy for more fantastic reviews! **

**P.S: I got the idea for this chapter from an episode of NCIS I watched last night **

...

_Chapter 10 _

Babette glared at her sister, restrained from harming her by the ropes that he her hands behind the chair and her legs to those of the chair. Her lip curled back into a menacing snarl from deep within her chest, bearing her fangs. This caused a pain to replace the rumble in her chest, due to the lack of energy she possessed.

The woman desperately tried to stretch herself towards the slits of sunlight in the room. The air felt as thought it was pressing in on her, and her entire body was beginning to give way. She had not drank plant blood in hours, and the minimal sunlight she got if she was lucky was nothing like what she needed.

Just as she felt the warm of the sunlight just touching her nose, the maid was suddenly shoved backwards and into the wall. Gasping at the impact, Babette groaned at the dull pain in her body. She sighed as her body slumped (as much as what was possible) and allowed her tense muscles to relax slightly.

Jacqueline, who stood at the other end of the room, shook her head with a small laugh of amusement "I cannot believe that you forgot about the Zemya's special ability" she said. She was referring to the fact that Zemya, when they chose to, could use a kind of magic to shove their opponents away from them or simply away from their objective. They could do this as hard as they wished, but Jacqueline had wanted to do it has hard as possible.

Babette growled in anger "No, I did not forget."

Jacqueline walked over to her, grabbing a fistful of her sister's now tangled hair and pulling it upwards, forcing the woman to look at her. Babette stared helplessly into Jacqueline's eyes, her own gaze blurred slightly from pain. She asked, her voice soft and as weak as her body "What is the point of holding me here?"

"It is quite simple ma cheri soeur…" Jacqueline released her hair and walked around the room as she explained "You see, since you are the only surviving member of our family, you share my bloodline. If you end up dead, then I receive all of your powers as well as my own."

Babette interrupted "But why do you care about _how_ I die?"

Her sister replied "Oh Babette, you always were naïve. If I kill you _myself_, then the transfer of power is even greater then what it would have been if you simply died."

"Then what is your plan? To simply let me deteriorate in this hellhole?!" demanded the maid.

"Far from it. Your death will be fast and painless. As for this, I am simply having a little fun with you" answered Jacqueline. She looked at her, and a small, wickedly smile curled on her lips "I will leave you to your own devices for now. Oh, and do not try anything while I am gone…not that you would have the energy anyway" she said, and left the room.

Babette sighed and rested her hair against the wall in despair. Her sister was right. She had very little energy…she needed sunlight and, most of all, plant blood. The maid shut her eyes tight, but not to contact the Enchantress. She already knew that even attempting to do so was useless in her weakened state, and knew that the Enchantress would not try to reach her for fear of harming her more. She was simply praying for a miracle, for that is what she needed to escape her capture alive.

The horse's hooves pounded rapidly and furiously on the ground, the rain doing nothing to slow the stallion down. Its rider, Lumiere, peered through the blackness of the night, desperately trying to find any trail of Babette. His long coat trailed behind him like a cape, and the rain dampened his clothing. The Frenchman had been told by a note that had been left (which had obviously been there to taunt him) that the maid had been taken by her sister. Luckily, the Prince had heard of Babette's family castle, which was when Lumiere had decided to journey there in search for her.

He had been told not to go alone, that it was a ridiculous idea. He had been told that he was acting foolishly by even considering rescuing her alone. He hadn't listened to any of that. The only thing on Lumiere's mind was keeping Babette safe, which was all he cared about. He would find her, and would bring her home.

Babette hissed under her breath as pain shot through her. She had tried to break through the ropes that bound her wrists, but the rope had hurt her too much skin after the first few tries. She sighed "_Jacqueline cannot win. I have to get out of here somehow_" she thought.

All of sudden, the door opened, and one of Jacqueline's servants walked in. He held a silver tray of food for her, and placed it on the small table in front of her. Then, he undid the ties of her wrists, thinking her too weak to harm him and knowing obviously that she couldn't eat without her hands.

Babette smiled slyly "_What an idiot_" she thought. The young woman was about to attack, when a sound caught her attention. A horse whinnied loudly, and seconds later, said horse raced through the door, stopping before her and knocking the servant to the floor.

Babette gasped upon seeing that Lumiere was her saviour. Her tired, weak eyes brightened when she saw him "Lumiere!" she whispered. He dismounted and, after realising her of the ropes, led her (and the horse) out of the tower.

However, as soon as they were in the incredibly large main room of the castle, Lumiere felt the horses reins being torn from his hands. He whirled around, and saw that one of Jacqueline's servants had seized the stallion before pulling it out of the room and slamming the door.

Babette sniffed the air, and growled lowly "Jacqueline."

The woman herself appeared out of the half-shadows, smiling slyly. Jacqueline said, approaching them slowly "Well, bonjur mes ami, we meet again."


	11. Chapter 11

**Thank you to Nimara again for the review. **

…...

_Chapter 11_

Before Jacqueline could take another step, she was thrust backwards by a powerful force of magic. Babette, who had performed said magic, lowered her hands to her sides "_Have you forgotten that the Maya have a magic of their own?_" she thought.

"_No, dear sister, I have not_" answered Jacqueline, her voice echoing slighting in her sister's mind.

Babette snarled at her sister menacingly, all teasing gone. Her irises glowed golden, and her fangs were visible in her mouth, causing her appearance to be overall more intimidating. Her strength was nothing compared to Jacqueline's, and the woman knew that she would be no match without some form of regaining her energy. Whether it was plant blood or sunlight, she didn't care.

Jacqueline's gaze flicked between her two opponents. Her sister, although her strength was dwindling dramatically, still seemed to be the largest threat, considering that the human was nothing more than that…a weak human.

Jacqueline moved towards her sister with superhuman speed that strongly rivalled that of Babette even in her strongest state. But, that was what a Zemya was. A powerful creature with advanced abilities that passed even that of a Maya. Moving quickly, Jacqueline attempted to knock her sister to the ground, so was surprised at Babette's move of jumping over her and landing (somewhat shakily) behind her.

Babette whirled around just in time to feel the impact of her sister's body against her own and a hand around her throat. Lumiere rushed towards her, seeing her in danger, but Jacqueline saw him out of the corner of her eye "_Fool_" she thought. The woman released one of her hands from around her sister's neck and used it to smack away the annoying pest of a human as if he was nothing more than a fly. This caused Lumiere to be thrown across the room and into a wall, but he was luckily mostly unharmed.

For once, Babette was not focused on his safety, for she now had the second of her sister's distraction that she desired. She kicked her sister in the leg with a supernatural speed, forcing Jacqueline to realise her grip and the maid took her next opportunity. Acting quickly, she scratched her face with her nails, causing blood to surface from the scratches, staining her sister's pale skin.

Jacqueline let out an animalistic loud snarl of pain and annoyance. Her own fangs, which were much sharper and more obvious than that of a Maya, immediately darted for Babette's arm. Seeing the attack, the maid quickly moved her arm away just seconds before the fangs of her sister would have pierced the skin. To her surprise, Jacqueline only smiled slightly "_Oh Babette, I hope that Lumiere is alright. After all, he will make quite a nice meal when I'm done_" she thought.

Babette growled low and terrifyingly "You will not even touch him."

Lumiere himself suddenly appeared behind Jacqueline, wrapping his arms around her in a tight headlock. He had wanted to distract the woman from Babette, and his plan was working. That is, until Jacqueline recovered from the initial shock and whirled around to him, fangs bared "Foolish human. You have just sealed your fate" she snarled. She was about to bite him, when Babette suddenly attacked.

She whacked her sister in the back of the head with all the force she could muster, which was enough to knock her to the side. However, the young woman paid a price for that attack. All at once, the rest of her physical strength was drained from her, and she almost collapsed to the ground. Lumiere was by her side in seconds, and helped keep her upright.

Jacqueline whirled around, and smiled slyly at the sight. Her sister was so weak that the _human_ was keeping her from falling "_This is it_" she thought. But, then the woman had another idea…Why would she kill her, when she could quite easily _turn_ her? She considered this for a moment "_Well, Babette _would_ make an excellent Zemya. She would be fighting with me, and together we could _still_ have ultimate power_" she thought. This idea soon dominated, and the decision was made.

Babette looked at Lumiere and smiled weakly "Merci" she said.

"Well, you were about to fall" he answered.

She shook her head "No, not just for that, for everything" she corrected. She kissed him on the cheek "Merci beaucoup Lumiere, you…are certainly one of a kind" she said.

Jacqueline scoffed, causing both to turn to her "Terribly sorry for interrupting" she said dryly. In a matter of seconds, Lumiere had been knocked out of the way and Jacqueline held her sister off the ground.

Then, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Jacqueline whispered close to her sister's ear "I really do look forward to you joining me Babette" and her fangs sunk into the maid's pale skin.

Babette suddenly felt like something was burning her from the inside. She didn't scream, but she bit her lip and shut her eyes as tight as possible, and tears of pain flowed from them. She knew what was happening as soon as she felt her body begin to shake…she was being turned, not killed.

Her mind was suddenly invaded by a sharp pain, accompanied by a feeling of weightlessness. Darkness then clouded her mind and vision, and all of a sudden, rage and anger along with an alarming bloodlust filled her.

Lumiere, meanwhile, felt as though all he could do was watch helplessly. He saw Jacqueline bring her mouth from Babette's neck and smile, small spots of blood on her fangs. At first, the Frenchman thought that the maid had been killed, but then noticed that she didn't crumple to the floor in the lifeless heap.

Instead, her eyes fluttered and she snapped her eyes open and straightened. But, the eyes weren't the beautiful chocolate brown they had once been. Instead, the irises were a golden colour. Now, since this was the colour of her eyes when she was enraged, most people would simply say that she was still angry. However, Lumiere noticed something…different about her. Her manner was one of a creature who was powerful and knew it, and also a creature who fed off of blood. It was a creature who he had been told many times was evil, but how could that be her?

Unfortunately, as Lumiere looked into the now golden eyes of Babette, he knew what was different. She shared the same look that Jacqueline did, the same look that told him that she was indeed _very_ different.

Jacqueline took Babette's hand "Bonjur ma petite" she greeted, a soft tone to her voice.

The maid then did something that astonished Lumiere, and even caught Jacqueline off guard…she smiled at her. Then, in an almost childlike voice, she replied "Salut Jackie."

Jacqueline turned to a clearly surprised and confused Lumiere and explained, a smug tone to her voice "Babette has been reawakened. She remembers her life as a Maya, but her dominate memories are those of me. The reason she called me by my old nickname, is because she does not yet remember the most recent memories of me, the ones where I turned supposedly evil. She is now what I am, and I will teach her my ways…" she turned back to Babette "Because you want to listen to your big sister, do you not ma petite?"

The young woman nodded enthusiastically "Oui Jackie, je'taime."

Jacqueline led her away "Come Babette, we need to get away from here for a little while" she said.

Lumiere simply stood there, in complete shock. When Prince Adam and the soldiers eventually arrived, and the soldiers had been ordered to search the castle, Lumiere knew that they wouldn't find Babette.

Instead, they would find the creature she had become.

They would find a Zemya.

…

**Don't worry folks, this is nowhere near the end. This may be the end of Fading Lights, but it's not the end of the story. In other words, I'm going to upload a sequel very soon. **

**Hang in there, **

**Babetteisawesome. **


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